Wolfsdorf Newsletter – September 7, 2017

September 07, 2017

Rescission of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”)

Today, the U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey Sessions formally announced the end of the immigration program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”), which has protected nearly 800,000 young, undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation and provided them with legal work authorization. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) will stop processing any initial DACA accepted after September 5, 2017. Any applications already accepted by this date will be processed. DHS announced that it will accept DACA renewal applications submitted by October 5, 2017 for beneficiaries whose status expires between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018. Read our blog about the termination of DACA.

Firm News

Bernie Wolfsdorf named Who’s Who Legal’s Most Highly Regarded Corporate Immigration Lawyer in North America for 2017
Congratulations to Bernard Wolfsdorf, Managing Partner of Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP, on being selected as Who’s Who Legal (WWL)’s top “2017 Immigration Lawyer” for North America. In addition, WWL described Mr. Wolfsdorf as a “leading expert in EB-5” who has “strengths in many practice areas”. Mr. Wolfsdorf received these distinctions after garnering the most votes from over 700 of the top-rated immigration lawyers in North America. Mr. Wolfsdorf stated, “I am honored to be named the ‘WWL 2017 Lawyer of the Year’ and I congratulate my esteemed colleagues Cyrus Mehta, Ronald Klasko, Charles Kuck, Ira Kurzban and Carl Shusterman for also being listed in the top 10.” View the rankings at Who’s Who Legal.

Pro Bono: TIPS Immigration Forum for Immigrants
On August 13, 2017, Josune Aguirre and Lauren Seo volunteered at the TIPS Immigration Forum for Immigrants where they provided free consultations to individuals seeking to naturalize, adjust their status, petition for family members and more. The Forum was hosted by the Spanish-Language Programmers Association at Pacifica Radio, KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Virgin of Juquila Church at La Placita Olvera in partnership with Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles.

AILA Liaisons
Congratulations to attorney Robert Blanco who will serve as the AILA Southern California Chapter Liaison to USCIS District 23. Further, Partner Rich Yemm will continue to serve as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Liaison this year.

Immigration Updates

USCIS To Expand In-Person Interview Requirements for Certain Permanent Residence Applicants
USCIS announced that effective October 1, 2017, it will begin expanding in-person interviews for certain green card applicants. USCIS said this change complies with Executive Order 13780, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” and “is part of the agency’s comprehensive strategy to further improve the detection and prevention of fraud and further enhance the integrity of the immigration system.” Effective October 1, USCIS will begin to phase in interviews for Adjustment of status applications based on employment (Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) and Refugee/asylee relative petitions.

USCIS Denies Pending Advance Parole Applications for H-1B, L Applicants Traveling Outside the United States
USCIS has been denying pending advance parole applications for abandonment when applicants travel outside the United States in H-1B or L status. The reason the agency gives is that the instructions to the Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, state that if the applicant leaves the United States before the advance parole document is issued, his or her application for an advance parole document will be considered abandoned. Immigration lawyers are advising their H-1B and L clients to avoid traveling internationally while their advance parole applications are pending.

U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Operations Suspended/Reduced in Russia
As a result of the Russian government’s personnel cap imposed on the U.S. Mission, the U.S. embassy in Russia has announced that all nonimmigrant visa (NIV) operations across Russia were suspended as of August 23, 2017, and will resume on a “greatly reduced scale.” Beginning September 1, NIV interviews will be conducted only at the U.S. embassy in Moscow. NIV interviews at the U.S. consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok are suspended until further notice. For rescheduling of nonimmigrant visa interviews and other questions, call: +7 (495) 745 3388 or 8 800 100 2554 (ITFN).

By Wolfsdorf Rosenthal|
2017-09-07T06:00:38-08:00 September 7th, 2017|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Wolfsdorf Newsletter – September 7, 2017

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